VAT Project

What is the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project?

CSX plans to excavate Virginia Avenue from 2nd Street to 11th Streets SE in order to reconstruct and lower their existing one-track tunnel, which runs for about 3,800 feet underground. While reconstructing the tunnel, they plan to lay down a new track to run double-stacked freight trains in both directions. Construction would be done with open trenches (allowing double-stacked freight trains to continue running throughout the period of construction) or by taking city land and creating a new permanent tunnel next to and, in some cases, under existing Capitol Hill homes, senior residences, federal parks, and government buildings.

What’s the Purpose of this Project?

This project is designed to help CSX increase their competitive edge for shipments from the expansion of the Panama Canal by 2015. CSX states that Washington DC is a “bottleneck” for their traffic along the eastern corridor.*

CSX, a multi-billion dollar corporation, has a right to increase competition but not at the expense of the health or safety of Washington DC’s children, seniors, workers, or homeowners. Since announcing their plans for the VAT project more than four years ago, CSX has neglected to provide comprehensive answers as to how they will protect public safety, security, and health issues raised by Washington DC residents and officials. They continue to present construction proposals that seriously and negatively impact Washington DC.

When pressed about the hazardous materials they carry through the city at a 400-person community meeting with Washington DC’s Mayor on January 16, 2014, a CSX official admitted that they carry Bakken crude oil, a source of many recent rail disasters.

If this project moves forward, it must be done right, and with transparency.

Serious safety, health, and security concerns are adding up after more than four years of misleading information and a lack of transparency. Organizations, including the

are raising their voices over the negative impacts of CSX’s Virginia Avenue Tunnel project. Residents are calling for at least a rerouting of trains during construction to greatly reduce the impacts of this proposed project. But as of yet CSX—a multi-billion dollar corporation—is not listening.

If you’re interested in learning more about safe rail options for DC, protecting the health of our children and seniors, and safeguarding the city from unnecessary threats, stay informed through these pages and sign up to join our contact list and follow us on twitter and facebook.

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Did You Know?

CSX’s right of way was granted by Congress back in 1901. Today, CSX nor the Federal and city agencies overseeing a NEPA process for this project can tell us what that right of way is or how much more CSX will receive for its expansion plan.